Eastern Montana Fire Zone Initial Attack Response Plan

Introduction:

The Miles City Interagency Dispatch Center (MCC) provides dispatch operations for the Eastern Montana Fire Zone (EMFZ). The EMFZ is divided into two Fire Danger Rating Areas (FDRA), a North FDRA and a South FDRA. The Yellowstone River is primary boundary between the North and South Fire Danger Rating Areas. The North Fire Danger Rating Area primarily consists of short grass prairie interspersed with broken badlands and isolated pockets of timber with the exception being the river break country along the Musselshell River and the Charles M. Russel National Wildlife Refuge. The South Fire Danger Rating Area consists of the Powder River and Tongue River basins, a mix of short grass prairie, Ponderosa and Juniper Forests, badlands and sagebrush steppe.

The EMFZ is broken up into twelve Initial Attack response zones. To better meet current resource objectives, core Sage Grouse habitat is identified as their own Initial Attack zones. The Camp Crook and Ekalaka Stations are generally treated as one station with one response zone but were broken out separately to better facilitate initial fire response through the dispatch system.

The EMFZ consists of the following fire stations: BLM; Jordan (JDN), Miles City (MC), Miles City Airbase (MCAIRBASE), Fort Howes (FTH), Ekalaka (EKA), and Camp Crook (CC). FWS; Jordan (CMR). USFS; Ashland Ranger District (ARD), and Sioux Ranger District (SRD).

*The response matrixes in this plan show the planned response for each level, they are not cumulative.

Fire Danger Rating Area: North

Response Area: Jordan WildCAD Area Code: JDN

Sage Grouse Habitat: General Sage Grouse habitat 80% of response area

Primary Response Station: Jordan BLM and Jordan CMR

Response Matrix:

BI Range/Response 0 – 23 24 – 37 38 + Level  LOW MODERATE HIGH

1 Engine 1 Engine 2 Engine 1 Dozer – if available 1 Dozer – if available *Consider Air Attack or Air Attack Helitack if staffed 1 Helicopter 1 READ

*Advise/Standby Resources SEAT’s Jumpship ICT3

Station Response Priority:

JDN, CMR, MC, MCAIRBASE, FTH, EKA, CC, ARD, SRD

Comments:

If the initial fire location is on the refuge dispatch the CMR resources in addition to any pre- planned response.

Fire Danger Rating Area: North

Response Area: Jordan Sage Grouse WildCAD Area Code: JDSG

Sage Grouse Habitat: Core habitat

Primary Response Station: Jordan BLM and Jordan FWS

Response Matrix:

BI Range/Response 0 – 23 24 – 37 38 + Level  LOW MODERATE HIGH

1 Engine 2 Engine 3 Engine 1 READ 1 READ 2 Dozer – if available 1 Dozer – if available Air Attack Air Attack 1 Helicopter 1 Helicopter 1 READ LAT or SEAT’s *Advise/Standby Resources SEAT’s *Advise/Standby Jumpship ICT3

Station Response Priority:

JDN, CMR, MC, MCAIRBASE, FTH, EKA, CC, ARD, SRD

Comments:

Response zone is core sage grouse habitat, ensure notifications are made to appropriate district staff and all resources responding are advised on initial dispatch.

Fire Danger Rating Area: North

Response Area: Miles City WildCAD Area Code: MLSN

Sage Grouse Habitat: General habitat about 50% of response area

Primary Response Station: Miles City BLM

Response Matrix:

BI Range/Response 0 – 23 24 – 37 38 + Level  LOW MODERATE HIGH

1 Engine 1 Engine 2 Engine 1 Dozer – if available 1 Dozer – if available *Consider Air Attack or Air Attack Helitack if staffed 1 Helicopter 1 READ

*Advise/Standby Resources SEAT’s Jumpship ICT3

Station Response Priority:

MC, MCAIRBASE, JDN, FTH, EKA, CC, CMR, ARD, SRD

Comments:

Fire Danger Rating Area: North

Response Area: Miles City Sage Grouse WildCAD Area Code: MCSG

Sage Grouse Habitat: Core Habitat

Primary Response Station: Miles City BLM

Response Matrix:

BI Range/Response 0 – 23 24 – 37 38 + Level  LOW MODERATE HIGH

1 Engine 2 Engine 3 Engine 1 READ 1 READ 2 Dozer – if available 1 Dozer – if available Air Attack Air Attack 1 Helicopter 1 Helicopter 1 READ SEAT’s *Advise/Standby Resources SEAT’s *Advise/Standby Jumpship ICT3

Station Response Priority:

MC, MCAIRBASE, JDN, FTH, EKA, CC, CMR, ARD, SRD

Comments:

Response zone is core sage grouse habitat, ensure notifications are made to appropriate district staff and all resources responding are advised on initial dispatch. Fire Danger Rating Area: South

Response Area: Miles City Southwest WildCAD Area Code: MLSSW

Sage Grouse Habitat: General habitat about 90% of response area

Primary Response Station: Miles City BLM

Response Matrix:

BI Range/Response 0 – 21 22 – 33 34 + Level  LOW MODERATE HIGH

1 Engine 1 Engine 2 Engine 1 Dozer – if available 1 Dozer – if available *Consider Air Attack or Air Attack Helitack if staffed 1 Helicopter 1 READ

*Advise/Standby Resources SEAT’s Jumpship ICT3

Station Response Priority:

MC, MCAIRBASE, FTH, JDN, EKA, CC, CMR, ARD, SRD

Comments:

Fire Danger Rating Area: South

Response Area: Miles City South East WildCAD Area Code: MLSSE

Sage Grouse Habitat: General habitat about 80% of response area

Primary Response Station: Miles City BLM

Response Matrix:

BI Range/Response 0 – 21 22 – 33 34 + Level  LOW MODERATE HIGH

1 Engine 1 Engine 2 Engine 1 Dozer – if available 1 Dozer – if available *Consider Air Attack or Air Attack Helitack if staffed 1 Helicopter 1 READ

*Advise/Standby Resources SEAT’s Jumpship ICT3

Station Response Priority:

MC, MCAIRBASE, EKA, CC, FTH, JDN, CMR, ARD, SRD

Comments:

Fire Danger Rating Area: South

Response Area: Fort Howes WildCAD Area Code: FTH

Sage Grouse Habitat: General habitat about 50% of response area

Primary Response Station: Fort Howes BLM

Response Matrix:

BI Range/Response 0 – 21 22 – 33 34 + Level  LOW MODERATE HIGH

1 Engine 1 Engine 2 Engine 1 Dozer – if available 1 Dozer – if available *Consider Air Attack or Air Attack Helitack if staffed 1 Helicopter 1 READ

*Advise/Standby Resources SEAT’s Jumpship ICT3

Station Response Priority:

FTH, MC, MCAIRBASE, EKA, CC, JDN, ARD, SRD, CMR

Comments:

Fire Danger Rating Area: South

Response Area: Fort Howes Sage Grouse WildCAD Area Code: FHSG

Sage Grouse Habitat: Core Habitat

Primary Response Station: Fort Howes BLM

Response Matrix:

BI Range/Response 0 – 21 22 – 33 34 + Level  LOW MODERATE HIGH

1 Engine 2 Engine 3 Engine 1 READ 1 READ 2 Dozer – if available 1 Dozer – if available Air Attack Air Attack 1 Helicopter 1 Helicopter 1 READ LAT or SEAT’s *Advise/Standby Resources SEAT’s *Advise/Standby Jumpship ICT3

Station Response Priority:

FTH, MC, MCAIRBASE, EKA, CC, JDN, ARD, SRD, CMR

Comments:

Response zone is core sage grouse habitat, ensure notifications are made to appropriate district staff and all resources responding are advised on initial dispatch.

Fire Danger Rating Area: South

Response Area: Ekalaka WildCAD Area Code: EKA

Sage Grouse Habitat: General habitat about 50% of response area

Primary Response Station: Ekalaka and Camp Crook BLM

Response Matrix:

BI Range/Response 0 – 21 22 – 33 34 + Level  LOW MODERATE HIGH

1 Engine 1 Engine 2 Engine 1 Dozer – if available 1 Dozer – if available *Consider Air Attack or Air Attack Helitack if staffed 1 Helicopter 1 READ

*Advise/Standby Resources SEAT’s Jumpship ICT3

Station Response Priority:

EKA, CC, SRD, MC, MCAIRBASE, FTH, JDN, CMR

Comments:

Ekalaka and Camp Crook Response zones are treated as one zone with Ekalaka or Camp Crook station as primary response. Fire Danger Rating Area: South

Response Area: Ekalaka Sage Grouse WildCAD Area Code: EKSG

Sage Grouse Habitat: Core Habitat

Primary Response Station: Ekalaka and Camp Crook BLM

Response Matrix:

BI Range/Response 0 – 21 22 – 33 34 + Level  LOW MODERATE HIGH

1 Engine 2 Engine 3 Engine 1 READ 1 READ 2 Dozer – if available 1 Dozer – if available Air Attack Air Attack 1 Helicopter 1 Helicopter 1 READ LAT or SEAT *Advise/Standby Resources SEAT’s *Advise/Standby Jumpship ICT3

Station Response Priority:

EKA, CC, SRD, MC, MCAIRBASE, FTH, JDN, CMR

Comments:

Ekalaka and Camp Crook Response zones are treated as one zone with Ekalaka or Camp Crook station as primary response.

Response zone is core sage grouse habitat, ensure notifications are made to appropriate district staff and all resources responding are advised on initial dispatch.

Fire Danger Rating Area: South

Response Area: Camp Crook WildCAD Area Code: CC

Sage Grouse Habitat: General habitat about 50% of response area

Primary Response Station: Camp Crook and Ekalaka BLM

Response Matrix:

BI Range/Response 0 – 21 22 – 33 34 + Level  LOW MODERATE HIGH

1 Engine 1 Engine 2 Engine 1 Dozer – if available 1 Dozer – if available *Consider Air Attack or Air Attack Helitack if staffed 1 Helicopter 1 READ

*Advise/Standby Resources SEAT’s Jumpship ICT3

Station Response Priority:

CC, EKA, SRD, MC, MCAIRBASE, FTH, JDN, CMR

Comments:

Ekalaka and Camp Crook Response zones are treated as one zone with Ekalaka or Camp Crook station as primary response.

Response area includes parts of North and South Dakota that are outside of the Miles City Interagency Dispatch Center boundaries but are the responsibility of the Eastern Montana and Dakotas BLM. Fire Danger Rating Area: South

Response Area: Camp Crook WildCAD Area Code: CCSG

Sage Grouse Habitat: Core Habitat

Primary Response Station: Camp Crook and Ekalaka BLM

Response Matrix:

BI Range/Response 0 – 21 22 – 33 34 + Level  LOW MODERATE HIGH

1 Engine 2 Engine 3 Engine 1 READ 1 READ 2 Dozer – if available 1 Dozer – if available Air Attack Air Attack 1 Helicopter 1 Helicopter 1 READ LAT or SEAT *Advise/Standby Resources SEAT’s *Advise/Standby Jumpship ICT3

Station Response Priority:

CC, EKA, SRD, MC, MCAIRBASE, FTH, JDN, CMR

Comments:

Ekalaka and Camp Crook Response zones are treated as one zone with Ekalaka or Camp Crook station as primary response.

Response area includes parts of North and South Dakota that are outside of the Miles City Interagency Dispatch Center boundaries but are the responsibility of the Eastern Montana and Dakotas BLM.

Response zone is core sage grouse habitat, ensure notifications are made to appropriate district staff and all resources responding are advised on initial dispatch.